Located on Australia’s Gold Coast an hour south of Brisbane Airport and 7km north of Gold Coast airport, Palm Beach used to be a slightly shady suburb you’d have no reason to stop at. But recent housing and apartment developments, an emerging cafe and dining scene, and an influx of urbanites seeking a quieter beachside lifestyle than the neighbouring northern beaches has transformed this once-sleepy spot into a vibrant beachside destination. I haven’t been to the Gold Coast since holidaying in Surfer’s Paradise for a week when I was 18 (that was my first time overseas!), so I didn’t have much idea what to expect. Me, Steve and the kids decided to fly into Brisbane airport on Christmas Day because, well after three years of Covid-ridden summers we we wanted an adventure just for us! We were extremely lucky to be able to use a family friend’s apartment in Palm Beach so the location was already decided for us, but after staying in Palm Beach I reckon it was the perfect spot for us. The combination of white sand beach, crystalline waters, great cafes and delicious dining gives Palm Beach that laidback small town coastal lifestyle we wanted for our holiday.

WHAT TO DO

Because New Zealand is two hours ahead we tended to wake between five and six every morning, and go to sleep by eight or nine at night. The Gold Coast is fully light by 5am so the beach is busy with people getting their exercise in before it gets too hot. Being wide awake that early is good motivation to get out for an early walk. I loved walking the beach each morning house-spotting – there are some uber-cool apartment buildings being built and lots of swoon-worthy properties on the beachfront or parallel along Jefferson Lane. We’d follow our morning walk with an ocean swim then an iced coffee – such a satisfying way to start the day.

There are surf clubs along each beach strip, and each usually has a little hole in the wall café serving coffee, pastries and quick eats like avo on toast to grab and go in the morning. The surf clubs up and down the coast were our fave spots for an early dinner with the kids – great food and a nice large pour for a decent price (RSA styles). We’d often sit on the deck for a couple of hours while the kids were in full view playing on the beach in front. Our faves were Palm Beach Surf Club and Kurrawa Surf Club up the coast in Broadbeach (make sure you book your spot at the surf clubs a couple of days in advance).

We loved the swimming at Palm Beach - the water was clear and a balmy 27 degrees. However the waves are extremely strong and there are numerous rips. Our boys are pretty confident in waves thanks to ‘Surf Lifesaver Steve’ being on the scene, but he was quick to warn them of the dangers and we didn’t stray beyond the flags. Palm Beach really does have something for everyone though - there’s a beautiful blue inlet with white sand beaches either side at the northern end called Tallebudgera Creek where you can put up a shade tent and spend the day swimming, paddle boarding and picnicking. Word of warning – this area was absolutely packed over New Year’s as there’s a very popular campsite nearby. We went early, did a couple of hours swimming and jumping off the bridge, got a coffee and pastry at Custard Canteen then bailed from the busy-ness. At the other end, Palm Beach Parklands has a pirate-themed playground, café and a calm, crocodile free lagoon great for kayaking and paddle boarding too.

The award-winning Balboa Italian has all the cosy atmosphere and charm you’d expect from a traditional Italian restaurant with creative, modern touches that take the food, beverages and interior to the next level. Let the fantastic staff suggest dishes for a combo to remember and don’t forget the espresso martini!

Burgster is well worth the quick walk or drive, it’s situated in a humble block of shops you could blink and miss but make sure you don’t! Their burgers are mini works of art that people come from around the Gold Coast to get their hands on and they’ve also got drool-worthy sliders, fried chicken, sides and $1 Wing Wednesdays.

Super-cool The Collective is like a high-end food court with five cuisine options – a diner, Italian, Japanese, Mexican and Greek. The food was fantastic and the cocktails even better – you order via a QR code from the table so there’s no waiting around. There’s also a little rooftop bar upstairs where we stayed one afternoon and downed a few too many margys.

Sisterhood Coffee had friendly staff, quick service, fresh food and great coffee, and Barefoot Barista was another café we frequented. The farmer’s markets on a Saturday morning are a fun family vibe with lots of delicious treats and fresh eats.

BURLEIGH HEADS

Ten minutes north sees you at the bustling beach town of Burleigh Heads. With a wicked left-hand surf break peeling in from the headland you can see why this is a famous surf spot that’s spawned some of the greats. While the town centre is only a couple of streets there are some cool little surf shops and fashion boutiques, plus we found the food so good here we returned a few times.

Rick Shores is a must-visit restaurant where you can sit and enjoy incredible Pan-Asian sharing plates all while taking in the incredible view that sweeps down the coast. Maman serves fresh and unique Mediterranean cuisine, with a chic coastal interior featuring arched alcoves and bright booth seating. Justin Lane dishes up locally-famous sourdough pizza and homemade pasta in a casual rooftop setting, Mr Hizolas is a bustling contemporary Cantonese street-side find, and a special mention goes out to Red Hot Cod who make coeliac-friendly fish and chips Jett could eat! No matter how full you are don’t miss Burleigh Gelato Co. then walk it off with a visit to the gorgeous Greenfolk Plant Shop.

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CURRUMBIN WILDLIFE SANCTUARY

This leafy forest reserve five minutes south of Palm Beach was a welcome respite from the heat (which was 28-30 degrees daily) and the ideal place to spend a morning learning about aboriginal culture, the local wildlife and getting up close with animals. You can wander around with kangaroos and even give them a feed, get photos with the koalas, sight snakes in the dark reptile and amphibian enclosure, have a laugh at the cheeky monkeys and wonder at the giant alligator. There’s even a little animal hospital where the rooms have glass fronts and you can see the injured species being treated. We watched fascinated as a doctor tended to a very angry venomous snake a local had caught in a pillowcase and dropped to the hospital! If you’re feeling adventurous try the TreeTop Challenge rope courses up in the forest canopy.

TUGUN, BILINGA, KIRRA & COOLANGATTA BEACHES

A quick ten minute drive south and you’re at the next strip of golden coastline past Currumbin Heads. We did a couple of day trips to this stretch of beaches and loved it. Coolangatta feels a bit old-school like Whangamata with surf shops, takeaway joints, cruisy cafes and pubs. Kirra has a great surf break and just north of that towards Bilinga is a beautiful swimming spot where the white sandbars give the water a sparkling turquoise look. Bilinga beach is where Three Birds Renovations did a dreamy makeover on surfer Mick Fanning’s home which you can now rent on Airbnb, so of course I had a sticky beak at that! Two other day trips I loved were a drive down to Halcyon House at Cabarita Beach, and a roadtrip to one of my favourite Aussie beach towns, Byron Bay (keep the one hour time difference in mind when heading to these two destinations, as you’re crossing over from Queensland to NSW).

SHOPPING

A twenty minute drive north of Palm Beach and you’re at Pacific Fair, the Gold Coast’s biggest shopping, dining and entertainment destination near Broadbeach. Dedicate a day as there are over 400 stores to explore! My boys loved it here. There’s a huge range of high street stores like Zara and H&M plus all their favourite sports and lifestyle brands. My faves included Bec + Bridge, Scanlan & Theodore, Dissh, Aje, Zimmerman, Billini and Sheike, plus you’ll find all the luxury brands if that’s your bag. The range and prices were good, and there was plenty on sale so the kids Christmas money went much further than it would at home. When your feet need a break there are delicious dining options and an outdoor resort area with daybeds and water features, or an Event Cinema with 4D (I discovered while watching Avatar that the 4D experience includes motion master seats, water spraying your face, and fans blowing your hair around!). Good times.

A forty minute drive north of Palm Beach is Harbour Town Gold Coast, a premium open-air outlet shopping centre. It’s Aussie’s largest outlet mall, with 220 stores at up to 70% off. The boys were in heaven as their money went so much further at stores like Nike, Hype and a range of surf brands. There was also a good range for Steve and I to explore, my fave being Sass & Bide where I bagged several pieces I love for 70% off.

THE HINTERLAND

This picturesque mountain rainforest region includes the region around Tamborine Mountain and the beautiful Lamington National Park, all part of the Border Ranges. I wish we had more time to explore this special area as there’s rainforest accommodation, National Park hikes, bush walks and wineries. But we did enjoy a scenic drive up and around Tamborine Mountain.

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THEME PARKS

My boys are nine and eleven – the perfect ages to experience all the adventure the Gold Coast has to offer. We got them a Village Theme Park Super Pass for Christmas which meant we had access to Movie World, Wet ‘n’ Wild, Seaworld and Paradise Country at any time over seven days. We pretty quickly realised post-Christmas is the worst possible time of year to attempt the theme parks – do them another time if you can. We started at Movie World which was a fail – the wait times were three hours, it was completely packed and we left after an hour. While it looked very cool more than half the rides are full-on rollercoasters which were a bit too daredevil for our liking, but the boys loved all the movie paraphernalia and the stunt car show so it’s definitely worth a visit. We made our next move more strategically, trying Wet ‘n’ Wild on an overcast day and arriving first thing. We had an absolute blast - there are so many fun yet family-friendly rides and a wave pool. Seaworld was also one of the boys favourites thanks to regular shows you don’t need to queue for.

The Gold Coast has been one of our favourite family holidays so far, with the perfect mix of adventure and relaxation (and only one overcast day out of 14!). My advice is to stay further south away from the hustle, rent a car so you can explore the coast, make sure your kids are old enough to enjoy the activities, ocean and heat, and avoid peak holiday times if you’re wanting to enjoy the adventure activities. Also be ready to embrace a bit of nostalgia - while the beachfronts are picture-perfect many areas of the Gold Coast have a slightly rundown retro-Hawaiian vibe about them (that’s a good thing in my book!).